Semua Bab Maid for the Billionaire (Tagalog): Bab 71 - Bab 80

“I thought you were okay already.” sabi ni James habang tahimik kaming naglalakad sa may malapit na café.“No one’s really ever okay, James. Sometimes, we’re just better at hiding it.” I muttered, not looking at him.Nag-text siya kaninang tanghali, asking if I wanted to breathe, even just for an hour. Kalix was in one of his long silences again, at kahit ayoko, I knew I needed air. Konting pause sa gulo.He held the door open for me, and we sat sa pinakatahimik na corner ng café, near the window. Same spot na lagi naming inuupuan noon. Back when everything was still survival mode. Back when Kalix was still in a coma.“Masaya ako para sa’yo, Naya. For everything you’ve achieved,” James said softly, stirring his iced coffee. “Pero halata. You’re tired.”“Tired is an understatement,” napatawa ako ng pilit. “Parang lahat kasi sunod-sunod. Alam mo yun? Akala mo okay na, tapos may bagong problema.”He nodded, eyes on me. “Kaya kita niyaya lumabas. Hindi para tumakas, pero para huminga.”“T

[KALIX—1ST POV]I’ve been staring at the same ceiling for hours.The lights are off. Curtains drawn. Phone muted. No movement, no sound—just the dull hum of guilt sitting heavy on my chest.I wanted peace. Silence. Space to think.But now that I have it, all I feel is the ache in my ribs… and the ringing in my ears every time I replay her voice in my head.Naya.God, her name alone was enough to undo me.She cried the last time I saw her. Not loud, not dramatic. She cried like someone who was used to being left behind.Again.By me.My throat burned just remembering it. I hate myself for making her look that way. For making her think—even for a second—that I could ever stop choosing her.Then came the knock.Three hard thuds against the door. I didn’t need to look through the peephole to know who it was.James.I didn’t move.“Kalix, putangina, open the damn door.” His voice wasn’t calm. “Kung hindi mo bubuksan, babasagin ko ‘to. Don’t test me.”I sighed.I opened it, half-expecting a

“Ano ’to, biglaan?”Napahinto ako sa harap ng luggage na nilapag ni Kalix sa tapat ng sofa. Pawis pa ako, galing sa final plate submission sa Ford. Hindi pa nga ako nakakapalit ng damit. Literal na kahapon lang ako halos mag-collapse sa hallway sa paghabol ng deadlines.“Hindi siya biglaan, love,” sagot niya habang pinapantay ang pagkakaayos ng zipper. “Matagal ko nang plano ‘to. I just waited for the right time.”“Right time?” Tumawa ako nang walang gana. “Bakit ngayon pa talaga na pagod na pagod ako? Baka gusto mo naman akong patayin sa stress?”He didn’t react right away. Tumayo lang siya, lumapit sa akin, tapos hinawakan ‘yung braso ko. “Exactly. You’re burned out. You’re breaking down, Love. You need this.”“Kalix…” Bumitaw ako ng buntong-hininga. “Alam mo namang bumalik ako sa third year. Hinabol ko lahat ng backlogs ko. Gusto ko lang ng… ng tulog. Isang buong araw na walang deadlines.”“I know,” he whispered. “That’s why gusto ko tayong lumayo kahit sandali. Just us. Wala muna

Ang sarap ng hangin dito.I was barefoot on the sand, mug of coffee in hand, habang pinapanood ko ‘yung araw paakyat sa kalangitan. The sky looked like a pastel painting—cotton candy clouds, soft pinks and oranges. It was the kind of morning you’d imagine in a postcard or a screensaver. Peaceful. Undisturbed.But the stillness didn’t reach my chest.I glanced back at the villa. Tahimik. I knew Kalix was awake—he never really slept long when we weren’t home. But lately, parang may binubuhat siya na hindi ko makita.“Good morning, love.”I turned. Nandun na siya, shirtless, hair still messy, eyes sleepy but shining. He kissed my cheek from behind and wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned against him instinctively.“Aga mong gising,” I said.“Can’t waste paradise,” he whispered, then added with a chuckle, “Besides, you were gone. I thought you abandoned me.”I laughed softly. “Iniwan lang kita sandali, drama ka agad.”The day went on beautifully. We had breakfast by the beach, explo

The ocean looked calm today.Too calm.The kind of calm that made you wonder if something was waiting just beneath the surface. I sat by the window of our villa, watching the water stretch endlessly under the pale morning sky. From the outside, it all looked perfect — paradise, even.But inside, it felt like I was slowly drowning in the silence.Kalix and I hadn’t spoken properly in days. Not since the confrontation. Not since I found out about everything—the island, Nadine, and the real reason we were here.He hadn’t said sorry. I hadn’t demanded one. We both just… existed beside each other. Close enough to touch, but not enough to feel warm.He was outside again, facing the water, pretending to be deep into work on his laptop. Pero ramdam ko ‘yung sulyap niya. Hindi naman siya magaling magtago. Kahit anong facade ang suotin niya, kilala ko na ‘yung mga subtle shifts sa body language niya. I knew he was hurting.But so was I.I stood up and walked to the small balcony, feeling the sa